Sir Tom Jones is a Welsh singer known for his powerful baritone voice and hits including “It’s Not Unusual,” “Delilah,” and “Sex Bomb” . He gained public attention for his six-decade music career, but also for his candid confessions about having hundreds of extramarital affairs while married to his childhood sweetheart, Melinda “Linda” Trenchard.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Sir Thomas John Woodward
Age: 85 (born June 7, 1940)
Nationality: Welsh/British
Occupation: SingerKnown For: “It’s Not Unusual,” “Delilah,” “Green Green Grass of Home”
Marital Status: Widowed (Melinda Trenchard, died 2016)
Children: 1 confirmed (son Mark Woodward); reportedly a second son from an affair
Early Life and Background
Tom Jones was born in Pontypridd, South Wales, to a coal miner father . At age 12, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis and spent two years bedridden, during which he first noticed Linda walking past his window to school . He quit school at 15, worked various manual jobs, and married Linda at 16 when she was pregnant with their son Mark.
Career and Achievements
Jones rose to fame in 1965 with “It’s Not Unusual,” which reached number one in the UK . He recorded theme songs for the James Bond film Thunderball and What’s New Pussycat? . Over his career, he has sold over 100 million records, amassed 36 Top 40 hits in the UK, won a Grammy for Best New Artist (1966), and received a BRIT Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music . He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 for services to music . Jones has also served as a coach on The Voice UK .
Major Event or Controversy
Throughout his marriage, Jones admitted to having hundreds of affairs, once claiming to have bedded up to 250 women in a single year . His relationship with former Miss World Marjorie Wallace in 1976 became public, causing Linda to punch him in the face when she found out . Jones later described his affairs as “fun and games” while maintaining that Linda remained “the most important thing in my life” . He also fathered a son, Jonathan, with model Katherine Berkery in 1987, a child he has reportedly never met .
Why he is in the News
Jones continues to perform and tour, having announced his Ages & Stages UK Arena Tour for December 2026.He recently spoke about Linda’s final wish before her death from lung cancer in 2016 she urged him not to “crumble” and to keep singing . Jones keeps her ashes in a box in his bedroom and has said he will never love again.
Conclusion
Sir Tom Jones remains one of Britain’s most enduring musical icons, with a career spanning over 60 years. His marriage to Linda, which lasted 59 years until her death, was marked by both deep devotion and public infidelity, making their relationship one of the most fascinating in entertainment history.
